1.
Introduction and Architecture Look
Forward
Chen Jason <jason.cj.chen@intel.com>
ACRN vMeet-Up Europe 2021

2.
Agenda
❖ Quick Introduction
❖ Scenario Introduction
❖ Architecture
❖ Technology Evolution
❖ Look Forward
❖ Conclusions

3.
Quick Introduction
ACRN™ is a flexible, open-source, lightweight hypervisor -
intended to enable consolidation of heterogeneous
workloads, and to streamline IoT edge development.
- A Linux Foundation Project Launched in March 2018
- Version 1.0 released in May 2019
- Version 2.0 released in June 2020
- Version 2.5 in June 2021

4.
ACRN hypervisor
Device Model
Service VM User VMs
Trusty
Scenario – ACRN 1.0
Automotive Software Defined Cockpit – Cluster + IVI: Service VM + User VM

5.
Scenario – ACRN 2.x
Industrial Control: Service VM + HMI + RTVM
Fuction Safety：Safety VM + User VM → Safety VM + Service VM + User VMs

6.
Architecture – ACRN 2.x
`
Service VM
ACRN
Device
Model
VMX
VT-d EPT
ACRN
OSPM
vPIC/vLAPIC/ vIOAPIC/vMSI
ACRN DM
(Device
Model)
Hypercalls
VM Manager
Native Device
Drivers
User VM1
(Post-Launched)
virtio
FE Drivers
Virtual Firmware
(OVMF)
Emulated Device
Drivers
User VM0
(Pre-Launched)
Passthru Device
Drivers
Passthru Device
Drivers
vPCI/vBridge/vUART/vRTC/vWDT…
RT VM
(Post-Launched)
Virtual Firmware
(OVMF)
HV Emulated
Device Drivers
ACRN Service
Driver
CPU Scheduler
virtio
FE Drivers(PMD)
Passthru Device
Drivers
Increasement of workload numbers & types → Architecture changes to resource usage and isolation
Platform (APL, KBL, WHL etc.)
Firmware (UEFI, SlimBoot etc.)
CSE

7.
Technology Evolution
Scenario Support
Mode: share + partition, hybrid
Usage: SDC(automotive) + Industry, Fusa
Resource Management
Manager: SOS/DM + HV
Usage mode: sharing + partitioning
Workload Support
Type: standard + safety, real time, kata, secure
Manage/Control: pre-defined + orchestration
• VM Loader Order: pre-launch, SOS, post-launch
• VM Severity: Safety, RT, Service, standard
• VM Power Management: S5, reboot in different scenario
• Split Device Model: vpci, vhostbridge, vuart etc in HV
• CPU Sharing: no-op (partition), iorr, bvt
• ACPI Customization: resource desc for pre-launch VM
• Real Time: CAT, LAPIC-PT, PMD, TCC; RTVM isolation
• Orchestration: Libvirt; kata container
• Safety & Secure: specific device pass-thru, STL, inter-VM
Tools
Debug: log, trace, profiling
Configuration: build script + configuration tool
• Debug: logmsg, ACRN trace, NPK, PMU
• Configuration Tools: friend config interface to build ACRN
HW Support
Platform: Atom + Core, Xeon
Feature: legacy + new advanced
• Platform: APL, KBL, WHL, TGL, ADL, future platforms
• Feature: SRIOV, device post interrupt, split lock, MBA

8.
Look Forward
- ASKs
• Could ACRN support orchestration well?
• Could QEMU run on ACRN?
• Is ACRN DM mature enough?
• ….

9.
Look Forward
– 2021 Roadmap
SoC
Service VM
Kernel Version
Q4’20 Q1’21 Q2’21 Q3’21 Q4’21
Atom®
Core®
Sustaining
Stabilization (PV)
Power On, Feature Development (Alpha)
Elkhart Lake Elkhart Lake
Tiger Lake
Whiskey Lake
Alder Lake
Yocto Dunfell (3.1) Yocto (Version TBD)
LTS Kernel 5.4 LTS Kernel 5.10
*Feature and dates for reference only and subject to changes without notice
Ubuntu 18.04
Elkhart Lake
Tiger Lake
Coffee Lake Coffee Lake
Alder Lake
Ubuntu 20.04

10.
Conclusions
• ACRN celebrated its 3rd birthday and is in constant evolution
• ACRN strongly focus on IoT/Edge characteristics (RT, Fusa)
• Call for people to engage and help develop ACRN to meet diverse requirements
https://projectacrn.github.io/index.html
Joining ACRN Community Today!!!